Healing Wind
by Neko Kuroban
Summary: You will be victorious with faith in your gods.


**Title: Healing Wind  
Series: Final Fantasy VII  
Characters: Yuffie Kisaragi, Aerith Gainsborough  
Rating: PG  
Summary: The road of life is paved with fights.  
Notes: Based off a scene in Kingdom Hearts.**

The beasts surged around her, and Yuffie Kisaragi lashed out with nimble, precise movements, deft flicks of a wrist. Each move appeared to be almost careless, revealing none of the long hours that she had put into practicing. She did not panic; merely held herself calmly as she should.

She was all too aware that she would win this.

She could recall the ancient texts that were sacred to her religion. Sneaking out of the room while thirty other students were doing their hour of morning meditation only annoyed the priestess, and punishments were harsh to someone as active as she was. Standing over a slow-burning joss stick with a bucket of water in hand as a apprentice drilled her on what she knew? For a girl who could not sit still long enough to "clear her mind of outside influences"?

Somehow, she remembered the only passage she could ever memorize: "_You will be victorious with faith in your gods, with the courage of a soldier, with the honor of your family and the dignity of yourself._"

Yuffie shook her head as if to clear it and continued her onslaught. 

Striking.

Once.

A beast let out a low, pained howl.

She smiled.

Twice.

It crumbled to the ground.

She turned to the next one that dared get too close.

Three times.

Ichor surged from its wound.

Her burnished metal shuriken blurred.

Spinning.

Puncturing. 

Returning to slim fingertips.

"_You've still got a lot to learn._"

It seemed that Squall had been right.

One of the beasts darted forward in an attack, catching her in the right hip. What? She turned, lashing out with her foot. Its thick claws scraped her unprotected leg, drawing blood. The metal toe of her boot smashed into its ribs.

Another slammed into her left side with enough force to knock the air from her lungs, and throw her to the cobblestone. Her wrist gave a sickening crunch as she hit the ground. Anger surged up in her. How could she have been so careless to let them this close?

Another moved in, looming closer. Laying with her back pressing against the road, it towered over her, its sleek muscle shifting with every movement. Icy dread filled her stomach. Her vision narrowed and focused on a rearing beast right above her. _Oh gods._ Her heart felt stuttered and she couldn't breathe. Was this it? She was going to die! Just like this, with her leg bleeding and a broken wrist! 

Pathetic!

She scrabbled in vain for her shuriken. It was just beyond her reach! Her fingertips and short nails scraped against the cobblestones in desperation.

Abruptly, her vision was obscured by a fall of rose-colored cotton, and she was vaguely aware of the tell-tale sound of bo staff striking exoskeleton and the loud, hissing sizzle of summoned lightening.

"Are you all right?" Aerith asked, skirt swaying as she took a step closer. She did not have to glance down to know Yuffie was injured. The silver-tinted wall of a shielding spell flared around them. Monsters crashed against it, letting out low howls.

Yuffie touched her wrist gingerly with her good hand. The adrenalin had worn off and now pain shot through her. She did not flinch, merely drew in a sharp breath. "Yeah." She lied.

The healer was not fooled. Aerith whirled, staff in hand, ignoring her protests, and muttered a quick incantation, causing a shock of blue-white energy to flow from the brass cap of the staff to Yuffie's wrist. "You can thank me later."

"I didn't ask you to do that." Yuffie grumbled, picking up her shuriken.

"I did anyway," said Aerith peacefully. "I'm nice like that." 

Yuffie stuck her tongue out, starting to get to her feet, "You suck."

Aerith frowned, critically looking over her healing job. "Do you need help?" She asked carefully, familiar with her stubborn pride.

"Hardly." The raven-haired girl smirked and winked.

With that, she dove back into the fray.


End file.
